Bank note wallet or billfold



Allg- 17, 1954 G. FONTANA 2,686,545

BANK NOTE WALLET OR BILLFOLD Filed June 20, 1952 IN V EN TOR.

G/AMP/ERO FON TANA BY M Patented Aug. 17, 1954 BANK NOTE WALLET R BILLFOLD Giampiero Fontana, Milan, Italy, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Buxton, Incorporated, Springfield, Mass., a. corporation of Massachusetts Application June 20, 1952, Serial No. 294,576

(Cl. 15G-38) 3 Claims. 1

The form and construction of this invention is described as follows:

A banknote wallet or billfold containing at least three limbs or panels of a exible material folded in the manner of a bellows, and characterized by the fact that along each outward edge there is contained a. metal tube held in place by the material itself` which covers the tube and forms an eyelet around said tube; the said tube at one extremity is closed by means of a cap` whilst the other extremity terminates with two lugs between which manipulates a two armed lever, the longer arm of which can reach to the two adjacent edges of the bellows, whilst the shorter rests on a small sliding piston in the aforesaid mentioned metal tube, in which between the above mentioned .piston and the aforesaid mentioned cap there exists a spring which when previously being compressed, and operating on the above mentioned short arm normally causes the longer arm to press forcibly against the bottom of the fold between the twoadjacent sides of the bellows.

Reference is made to the attached drawing and in which:

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of the wallet or billfold, the bellows being in semi-closed position, and with the pockets distended at forking angles.

Fig. 2 an upright or elevational view of Fig. 1 but almost completely fully extended.

Fig. 3 shows a particular or detail View of the clasp in the Closed position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the same parts but in the open position.

A strip of leather is folded in three panels, indicated at A, B and C, like a bellows, and along each fold the strip is secured in a loop, forming an eyelet I, into which is introduced and maintained a metal tube 2. Said metal tube is closed at one end by means of a screw cap 3, and terminates at the other end with two small lugs 4 between which is pivoted, as indicated at 5 a two-armed lever 6 and '1, of which l is the longer and can reach between the two adjacent sides of the bellows, whilst the shorter 6 rests on a small piston 8 sliding in the tube 2 in which tube between said piston and said screw cap is placed the spring E. This spring being pre-compressed and working on the short arm B in a normal direction to same, forces the long arm to forcibly clasp the contiguous edges of the wallet, and in such manner holds any eventual banknotes, If the long arm is moved from the bottom of the fold (Fig. 3) and moved into the position of Fig. 4, the short arm 6, thus compressing the spring 2 by means of the piston, the arm l remains blocked in the open position.

In order that the movement functions, it is necessary that the distance between the center of pivot 5 and the axis of the tube is equal to that between the axis of arm 6 and the center of the pivot.

The middle section or panel of the billfold or bellows, instead of being made of one layer is constructed of two layers, an additional piece D being sewn on three sides to panel Bin a manner to form a pocket. The lateral panels A and C are also furnished with pieces E' forming pockets. The foregoing demonstrates the useiulness of the wallet or billfold described, and which meets the most diflicult requirements, together with the security and simplicity of the billclaspj which is allied both to security and practicability.

It is obvious that the strip of folded leather need not be of a necessity of one piece, but may be made of several sewn together.

What I claim is:

1. In a billiold of the type having a cover including two cover portions connected by a hinge about which said portions are foldable one on the other and means to releasably clamp bills to the cover at the fold, that improvement in said clamping means which comprises a tube closed at one end and open at the other and provided at the open end with spaced lugs, a bent lever pivoted between said lugs to provide a short arm extending diametrically of the open end of the tube and a long arm extending longitudinally along the outside of the tube, a piston slidably mounted within the tube, the outer end of said piston engaging said short arm of the lever, a spring member compressed between the inner end of the piston and the closed end of the tube to press the long arm toward the side of the tube when the short arm is positioned at substantially right angles to the piston and to releasably hold the long arm at substantially right angles to the tube when the short arm is substantially in alignment with the piston, said cover forming a loop at the hinge in which said tube is supported.

2. A billfold comprising a strip of flexible material having one end portion folded on the other end portion to provide opposed covers, said covers connected together to form a loop at the fold, a tube, having an open end, supported in said loop, a bent lever pivotally connected to said tube at said open end to provide a short arm extending diametrically of said open end of the tube and a long arm extending between said covers longitudnally of the tube, a piston slidably mounted within the tube, the outer end of said piston engaging the short arm of the lever, and spring means confined Within the tube and acting on the inner end of said piston to press the long arm of the lever toward the side of the tube when the short arm of the lever is positioned at substantially right angles to the piston and to releasably hold the long arm at substantially right angles to the tube when the short arm is substantially in alignment with the piston.

3. A billfold comprising a strip of flexible material having one end portion folded on the other end portion to provide opposed covers, said covers connected together to form a loop at the fold, a tube, having an open end, supported in said loop, a bent lever pivotally connected to said tube at said open end to provide a short arm extending diametrically of said open end of the tube and a long arm extending between said covers longitudinally of the tube, a movable member and a spring housed in the tube, said spring yieldingly holding said member in engagement with the short arm of the lever to press the long arm of the lever toward the side of the tube when the short arm of the lever is positioned diametrically of the tube and to releasably hold the long arm of the lever substantially at right angles to the tube when said short arm is swung into substantially axial alignment with the tube to bring the free end of the short arm into engagement with said member.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 814,205 Hawes Mar. 6, 1906 1,933,115 Jacobsen Oct. 31, 1933 2,455,515 Miller Dee. '7, 1948 2,595,945 Hirschfelder May 6, 1952 2,597,967 Anderson May 27, 1952 

